Second hand purchase help.

[Dan]

This one http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-moto ... p/97358361
03 fiat doblo 1.9 jtd
Yes I know it looks like a pope van but I don't go out much so don't want to spend a lot of cash. I also know nothing about cars so have one or two questions.
In your general opinion is it worth the £1500? I'm guessing it has about 100,000 miles on the clock.
Also will my Quickie Salsa M fit in the back of that Doblo ok? I'm still waiting for the salesperson to get back to me tho I don't think he will have a clue about this sort of thing.

Thanks for any help.

[LROBBINS]

I have not seen a Doblo with a ramp and without a raised roof and lift before this. Are you going to be riding in your Salsa? If so, can you bend your head down when entering? If the answers are "Yes" then "No", you'd best check out whether the door opening is actually high enough for you. It may well be - the Doblo has the lowest stock sill height and tallest stock door opening of any of these micro vans - but still, you should measure your height and ask the seller to measure the door opening height. Of course, here in Italy there are lots of Doblos running about.

The only negative I've heard about them is a tendency to lose front wheel alignment easily if subjected to lots of jolts, but it was the usual "non scientific" comment of someone who had to have his alignment re-done. The 1.9 jtd engine has an excellent reputation.

Without a dropped floor and kneeling suspension, it needs a pretty long ramp, which would be a problem here for finding a long enough parking spot. Perhaps you have more generous parking spaces, or more fish-scale spaces where you live. Wish I could find used WC vehicles here - our 1997 Vantage GrandVoyager and 2000 Kangoo are getting long in the tooth (>150,00 and >200,000 km respectively), but even new WC vans are so few and far between here that finding a used one is exceedingly unlikely and I'm not looking forward to the full new retail of replacing one of ours.

Ciao, Lenny

[Dan]

Thanks Lrobbins for your helpful reply. I think the newer verison of the van has been adapted to have a raised roof and the older has the lowered floor. Yes I don't want to get out of my chair and I can duck down if needed but I think there will be enough head room.
I have been reading up on them and there seem to be a lot of them for sale in the UK on places like ebay so that has given me an idea of their value. Its hard to find measurements and looking at the picture of the van for sale I was not sure wehather or not my chair would fit but now i'm almost sure it will. I'm still waiting for the sales guy to get back to me.

I am now having a look at other vans too to see what else is out there.

Once again thanks for your help.

Daniel.

[ex-Gooserider]

The other question is if you are going to be driving yourself, or are you just a passenger? Rear entries tend to be passenger only...

ex-Gooserider

[Dan]

Yes I am just going to be a passenger. Does anyone know if used cars from dealers and such carry VAT that I can claim black?

Thanks.

[redandwhite]

Hi,

Unless the used vehicle has been owned by them from new or it was purchased from a VATqualifying company eg Motability as the most likely source, but these are mainly 3 years old or 5 yrs if heavily modified and tend to be expensive, there will not be any vat you can reclaim.
Always ask the dealer if it is a VAT QUALIFYING VEHICLE.

Ihope this helps.
Colin

[Dan]

Thanks Colin I will ask the dealer about the VAT. I am not looking at other Vans too.

[Dan]

The guy in my original post never got back to me with the measurements I had asked for so I ended up buying a low milage Renault Kangoo with a lowered floor. My Quickie Salsa M does fit in the back no problems. It was good to take the chair out even though my OT had warned me not to take the chair out untill I had pased some sort of test that i'm meant to be taking.

Thanks again for the help.

[Burgerman]

Test... That again. Tell them to get lost. Theres no legal requirement, its just them being difficult.

[Dan]

Test... That again. Tell them to get lost. Theres no legal requirement, its just them being difficult.

MY OT seems to think that it is and was not happy when I told her I had taken the chair out to a hospital appointment. I don't give a shit either way but my chair is stuck at 2MPH and I think they will reprogram it for its maximum speed once I take the test.

Unless I Program it myself? Is there a step by step guide with software and programmer needed?

[Burgerman]

2mph?

You have to be kidding?

Theres no legal requirement to do any test in a powerchair. Tell them to get a life and sort out your chair!

[Fulliautomatix]

The OTs made me do a test before I was able to officially take it outside...and I have a truck (lorry?) licence.
Legal requirement or not...just do the test and get on with your life.
Be sure to demand one setting at full speed and acc/decelerations at 90% or more...if you are competent at driving a vehicle you will use it!

[Burgerman]

Its the principle of the thing. After they saw me wheelying up curbs, and squeeling tyres madly around my own home through doorways and stuff at 6mph INDOORS and never slowing down for anything they just dare not ask me to do it after I laughed at them.

They never went there for more than 1 minute.

[Martin O Refurbisher]

Programming R-Net

Ask your supplier to enable on-board programming.

Best,

Martin

[Burgerman]

On board programming does NOT allow any meaningful adjustments to be made. Its basically end user or dealer only. It doesent allow access to the stuff that you actually need to make it steer and drive properly.

[Dan]

Well i'm aick of the 2MPH limit. Can I reprogram it myself and if so what do I need? God knows how long I will have to wait for a chance to take the test and then for them to change the settings.

[Fulliautomatix]

God knows how long I will have to wait for a chance to take the test and then for them to change the settings.

Wow!! My lot were saying "Just give him what he wants and tick the boxes and maybe he will go away".

[Burgerman]

Really you do need access to an OEM programmer. Because theres a great bunch of settings that need changing. Max speed is just one. If you wanbt it to steer properly, accelerate properly, etc theres a lot more.

[Dan]

Is it possible to get an OEM programmer for my controller? And not for silly money. And software. Or build one myself if the parts can be bought?

[Burgerman]

If its R-net, then no. The OEM controller that you need requires a PC and a dongle. The only place you can get it as far as I know is PG drives - IF they will sell you it. More likely they will try to persuade you you dont need OEM and sell you the useless dealer version. Which canm be done using your joystick controiller and screen. But its a waste of effort. Its like the difference between being a customer in a resturant or the chef! As a customer you get to choose from a small list. As the chef you get to decide everything.